


Some Kind of Angel

by liddellmisswitch13



Category: Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six (Video Games)
Genre: M/M, Multi, No Beta, Other, background mira/cav, i rly love doc and mozzie okay, idk yet, inspired by the cinematic, maybe ship in later parts?, spurr of the moment fic, tagged appropriately for later parts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-22
Updated: 2020-03-15
Packaged: 2021-02-19 09:50:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22842373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/liddellmisswitch13/pseuds/liddellmisswitch13
Summary: Doc is always there, swooping in to help his team like some kind of angel. Mozzie is grateful for this when Doc helps him during the Tournament of Champions, even if it means getting eliminated early. However, who is there to save Doc when he gets nabbed by White Masks?
Relationships: Gustave "Doc" Kateb & Max "Mozzie" Goose, Gustave "Doc" Kateb/Max "Mozzie" Goose
Comments: 12
Kudos: 58





	1. Knight in Shining Armor

Doc and Mozzie made their way to the locker rooms where the camera crew had set up. They wanted some post-game interviews with each team to later broadcast on the news. Blitz and Dokkabei were finishing up their interviews as they walked in. “Well this is something new.” Mozzie said, leaning towards Doc to try and keep his voice down.

“I never thought I would be putting on a show for the entire world.” Doc mused, rubbing his chin with his white gloved hand.

“You kiddin’ me? I do this for a livin’!” Mozzie exclaimed, getting shushed by the boom operator in front of them. Mozzie uttered an apology and Doc sighed warmly. This had been quite the experience alright. A way to test themselves, Harry had said. Of course, Doc was confident in his abilities, but Cav had reminded him of his one weakness.

_“You know if it had been real, you and Mozzie would be dead right now.” Cav said, allowing Doc to gently dab a cotton swab with solution on her browbone. “It’s not like you to be so careless, Doc.”_

_“Well, it wasn’t real, and we’re both here.” Doc retorted, gently swabbing the cut above her eye. “Besides, we’re a team. We can’t always win alone.” The last part was directed at Cav, who prided herself as a one-woman army when it came to her set of skills. Yes, Doc believed in her abilities and trusted her when it came down to life and death situations, but she was still just one person._

_“And you can’t always save everyone.” She said, getting up from her chair before Doc had a chance to put the band-aid over her cut. Doc sighed, pushing himself back to his little worktable to set the band-aid down. New Mexico came to mind again, and soon he was reminded of just how many lives he had taken and saved so little. There was a knock on his door and Mozzie popped his head in. “Our fans await us, Doc! Come on!”_

Doc popped out of his thoughts with Blitz and Dokkabei walked by, each giving Doc a friendly pat on the shoulder. Doc smiled and nodded at them, then made his way to his seat. Mozzie plotted down in the chair and fiddled with the microphone on his vest. One of the audio techs walked over and helped him readjust it, while Doc let another audio tech place it for him. The bright camera lights made Doc squint, and extra sweaty in his gear.

“Alright gentlemen,” The director said, sitting in the chair in front of them, “thank you so much for giving us a few moments of your time. We’ll make this quick, now…

…

The base was in a rush tonight. The winning Attacker team was greeted by those who had not been able to advance into the final rounds, with the Germans greeting their beloved Blitz and congratulating him on winning for their faction.

“Gustave!” Twitch came jogging over with Rook and Montague, embracing her friend. “You did great out there, really showed them your stuff.” Doc smiled and returned the hug, giving her a chaste kiss on the cheek. “ _Merci beaucoup_ , Emmanuelle. I did what I could.” Rook came over as well, giving Doc a hug and a kiss.

“That last round was tough, we saw Cav really give it to you.” He said, raising his dark brows some. Doc sighed, shaking his head.

“Cav is competitive, yes, but we did what we could as a team.”

The sound of quick sneakers against the ground immediately gave away who was approaching. Being around certain operators gave Doc the ability to discern them from each other. Marius was quick, always wearing those sneakers. Doc could always make out his footsteps with entering rooms. “Jäger! What do I owe this visit?” Doc inquired before he could turn around.

The young pilot stopped in his tracks, his icy blue eyes widening as Doc was able to identify him that quick. “How did you know it was me?” He inquired, tilting his fair-haired head to the side.

“I just know these things,” Doc said, smiling warmly. “Now what is it, Marius?”

Jäger smiled, standing up straight. “I wanted to ask if you GIGN wanted to join us for a little celebration! All the operators are gathering in the common grounds for a little festivity. Regardless of who won, I think it’s nice to be able to gather for something other than anti-terrorists’ strategies.”

Doc looked at his teammates, who smiled and nodded. “Well, I guess it’s unanimous. We’ll be there.”

Jäger grinned and gave a playful wave of the hand. “Alright, see you then!” He said before taking off again. Doc sighed, excusing himself to go and remove his gear. He’d have to shower and get this damned powder out of his hair.

-

The common grounds were decorated slightly with streamers and some balloons bought last minute from the nearest store. A few of the operators had set up tables and then refreshments were added. Those who could cook happily supplied meals for everyone, while Jäger oversaw the music. “I’m taking requests!” He exclaimed, crouched on the ground by the speaker, meddling with his phone. Bandit chuckled, shaking his head and exhaling a large plume of smoke.

Mozzie had already dug into a cupcake and watched as everyone relaxed and enjoyed a night of calm. “We coulda had ‘em.” Mozzie said, some frosting and crumbs escaping his mouth. Girdlock chuckled, drinking her cup of punch.

“I know, but somethings just happen mate.” She said, looking over her smaller companion and titled her head back. “Ya did your best, but Doc dropped his guard savin’ your sorry arse.” Mozzie hummed a bit, his leg bouncing as he thought about it. Doc never left anyone behind. There were several different times Mozzie could name where Doc would risk himself if it meant saving a teammate, or a hostage.

“It’s my fault. Mucked up by gettin’ shot.” Mozzie said, his leg bouncing a tad faster. “What if it was the real deal? We’d both be dead.”

Gridlock put her hand on Mozzie’s shoulder, his leg stopping its mindless romping. “Max,” she said with a meaningful look. “It’s alright. He did what I woulda done too, ya know. You might be a big pain in my side, but you’re my friend. I would never leave ya behind.” Mozzie smiled a bit. Tori never said things like this often, so he enjoyed it.

“Thanks, Tori. Means a lot.” He said, casting his gaze down at the ground for a bit, then looking up.

Gridlock chuckled and slapped Mozzie on the back. “Did you even thank him for saving your dumb arse?” She asked, going back to her drink. She wished Bandit had gone through with spiking it. Mozzie scratched his chin, thinking about it. It occurred to him that, no, he hadn’t.

“The bloody interview and then being swept up in the chaos made me forget.” He admitted, looking up at Gridlock.

“Go and thank your knight in shining armor!” She exclaimed with a laugh. “Don’t be rude.” Mozzie turned around to scan the crowd for Doc. He immediately found Twitch, who was talking with Rook by the lounge chairs. Doc had yet to show up.

“Ah, I’ll do it!” Mozzie said, waving his hand. “Once he shows, Imma tell ‘em!” Gridlock laughed again and pushed off the wall to go and get more punch. Tachanka was already tucking a flask back into his pocket. Gridlock raised her red solo cup in thanks.

-

Doc stepped out of the shower, snugly wrapping his towel around his hips and made his way back to his room. He waited until everyone had finished getting ready before he took his shower. He preferred a moment of solitude when it came to his showers. It allowed him to think and digest the chaos of the day. He had work to do, but he figured a night to himself wouldn’t hurt.

He dressed quickly, a loose button up shirt and slacks. Of course, everyone else would be wearing any old thing, but Doc took pride in his appearance. He added a little aftershave and then left his room. “Hey, Kateb!” Doc cursed under his breath as he saw Lion waiting at the end of the hall.

“What do you want, Olivier?” Doc asked, walking down the hall to meet him. Lion grinned, opening his massive arms.

“To congratulate you on that spectacular loss, of course!” Lion smiled as Doc frowned and shouldered past him. “Should have left the Aussie down, Gustave. You dragging him to safety meant exposing yourself.”

“Is everyone going to be giving shit for this?!” Doc asked, moving his hands and glaring at Lion. “First Taina, now you? I did what I would have done on the frontlines.” He declared, placing a hand on his chest in a passionate defense. He wanted to help as many people as he could, regardless of how he had to do it. If it meant taking lives, then fine; if it meant risking his own life to save his fellow comrades, then so be it.

“Your bleeding heart will be the death of you, Gustave. I know you have an oath to keep, but you’re a soldier too. You can’t grey line your duties.” Lion grunted as Doc shoved him, chuckling a bit. “And here I thought you a pacifist.”

Doc’s glare deepened, becoming as sharp as a scalpel. “I know Harry said we had to remain civil around the others, but I swear, if you push me, Olivier, then we’re going to have a problem.” Doc said in a low voice, suppressing a wave of rage behind his doctor voice. He turned around and left, leaving Lion rubbing the spot where Doc had shoved him.

-

Eventually the spiked punch had made its rounds, everyone a level of tipsy. The aux chord had somehow changed hands and now dance songs were playing on the speakers. Some of the women were laughing, dancing playfully with each other. Mira had to almost force Cav onto the floor, laughing. “Loosen up _chica_! Have some fun!”

Cav frowned, but begrudgingly let Mira move her arms in tandem with the music. Ash was laughing up a storm as Bandit tried to walk in a pair of her heels, losing it when he lost his balance and fell over. Jäger was on the ground, holding his sides. “Stop! I can’t—I can’t breathe!” He wheezed and laid on his side. IQ and Blitz watched, laughing as well.

Doc found Twitch and Rook, who hadn’t really left their spot. Twitch motioned for Doc to join them and smiled. “Ooh, looking so fancy mon cher.” She teased, but saw the scowl lingering in Doc’s features. She furrowed her brows. “What’s the matter?”

“I ran into Olivier in the hall.” Doc said, sighing and taking a spare cup from the table and drinking.

“Ooo don’t do that.” Rook said and gently took the cup from Doc, who made a face as the liquid touched his tongue. “Tachanka spiked the punch. Careful, everyone here’s almost wasted.” He said, chuckling as he set the cup down.

“Olivier, huh?” Twitch said, patting the spot next to her. Doc sat and rubbed his temples. “He just wanted to make me angry about today. He always finds ways to poke at me.” Doc sighed, leaning back in the lush cushion of the couch.

“He’s like a child, seeing how far he could push you.” Twitch said, making a grabby hand for a cupcake, which Rook passed her. She thanked him and took a bite. “Harry advised you two to stay away from each other, and be nice, but Olivier always has to find a way to play the system.” Twitch let out a long sigh, gently rubbing Doc’s shoulder. “Don’t let him get to you, Gustave.” Doc exhaled a breath he was holding, and nodded, letting Twitch shake his shoulder.

“ _Merci beaucoup_ again, Emmanuelle. You know what to say.” He said, cracking a smile.

Twitch smiled back and shook Doc’s shoulder a little harder. “There’s the Gustave we love—oh!” She let go of Doc’s shoulder and pointed across the room. “Mozzie was looking for you earlier. He really wanted to thank you for today.” She said, her speech already starting to slur.

“Probably for today.” Doc concluded. He lingered for a bit before nodding. “Alright, I’ll go talk to him.” He said and stood up. Rook gave Doc a thumbs up and let the plush cushions swallow him slowly. The room was spinning, and the strobe lights someone turned on transformed Rook’s vision into a rainbow-colored blizzard. He chuckled and closed his eyes.

Mozzie stood and watched as people made arses out of themselves. Jäger had crashed, giggling as he laid on his side, watching Bandit ice his ankle after the spill he took in Ash’s heels. “Man, I love this lot!” Mozzie exclaimed, looking over his shoulder to see Gridlock and Ela having a conversation. There was no luck in finding Doc yet. Mozzie had asked Twitch if she’d seen him yet, but no, nothing.

He watched and waited, eventually forgetting what he was supposed to be doing. He was able to talk to a few of the other operators, like Jackal, who watched Mira and Cav have fun. Jackal thought it sweet that Mira had made a friend here. “God knows she needs one.” He said coolly, taking a very deep drink of his cup.

Mozzie tapped his foot as he waited, then he started to pace. He had to move or else he’d lose his mind. He assumed it had been something he picked up as a kid, trying death defying stunts and other forms of stupidity to get his parents’ attention. The music had changed after a while, to club dance music. People had gotten on the floor (or fallen on it in Bandit’s case), danced and had a good ol’ time. It did make Mozzie happy. Normally, it was all death and business around here. Seeing people smile and laugh—just enjoy life—was refreshing.

“Mozzie?”

Mozzie turned around as he was called, and there was the so-called knight in shining armor. Only it was a maroon colored button up and slacks. Mozzie grinned, opening his arms. “Hey! It’s the big man! Where ya been mate?! I’ve been lookin’ all over for ya!” Doc chuckled, smiling softly.

“Had to get ready, it took a while…” Doc said, not trailing off topic. “Emmanuelle said you were looking for me?”

Mozzie and Twitch were friends. She had helped Mozzie with his Pest Launcher, and even teased her when he managed to steal her drones during mock battles. “Yeah, yeah I asked Emmie where you were! She’d said you weren’t here yet.” Mozzie was small, but he was loud. It was hard to contain on missions. “Listen, I wanted to thank ya! We coulda had that win mate, but ya dove for me like some kind of angel!”

Doc chuckled, gently tucking a hand into his slacks’ pocket. “Mozzie, I said it before and I will continue to say it again, we are a team. I would never leave one of my own to dry like that.”

Mozzie grinned, rubbing the back of his neck. “Aw, Doc—you’re a swell guy! You gotta let me thank ya somehow—how about coffee in town, huh?” He asked, hands on his hips and giant smile on his lips. He was being sincere. Doc couldn’t help but say yes.

“Ah, _merci beaucoup_ , Mozzie. That’s very kind of you. I would love to join you for coffee.”

“Sounds right, mate! How does Friday sound?”

“Perfect.”


	2. White Mask

Doc woke up that Friday after a long week of work. The after-game party was rather enjoyable. He was able to see some of his fellow operators get shit faced and act like morons. Of course, that meant people coming into his office with hangovers the next morning. Despite that, he had a very good time. Doc had spent some of the night talking to Mozzie, and Tori as well. They seemed a good pair, those two. They understood each other enough to be able to trust each other with their lives. Doc knew that sentiment.

The sound of his phone going off pulled him from his thoughts and back into reality. Mozzie had sent him a text for later today.

_3pm sounds g8! See u then!_

A small sigh escaped Doc’s lips as he smiled and set his phone down. It was only noon, so there was still time to get this small mountain of papers off his desk. A sudden knock at the door pulled his attention away from the papers, and he sighed again. “Come in!” He called.

The door opened, bringing Ash and Mira into his office. “Doc, we got some news—not good ones.” Ash said gravely, rubbing the side of her neck. “White Masks got something brewing…”

“Someone new has taking over their ranks.” Mira said, setting a file down on Doc’s desk. Doc looked at the two women and then at the file. It was a quickly snapped shot of a figure in white, the all too familiar white mask covering their face. They were being escorted by a few guards in the photo, and the aura this person had made Doc shiver a bit. “We have no new information as of now, but we need to keep our guard up.”

Doc frowned and read over some of the information they had been able to gather. “Alright, thank you for letting me know.” He said, nodding. Ash gave a nod back and left. Mira lingered a bit.

“What could this mean?” She asked, rubbing her arm.

“It could mean a number of things, or it could mean nothing.” Doc said, tucking all the papers back and closing the file to hand it back to Mira. “Whatever it could be, we need to keep an ear to the ground. Change in rank means the White Masks could start playing hard ball.” So far, the organization had been dangerous. Yes, they gave Rainbow a run for their money, but it wasn’t anything they couldn’t handle.

“Maybe you’re right, but I can’t help but feel a little off about this.” Mira admitted, frowning and shaking her head. “Eliza won’t listen to me about it, saying it’s just something we should keep tabs on.”

Doc shook his head, leaning back in his chair. “I wouldn’t know either. Just keep your eyes open, alright?” He asked, smiling a bit. Mira nodded, her shoulders relaxing visibly. She bid Doc a good day and was off, leaving him to finish his work.

-

Mozzie grunted as he threw the whiffle ball, giving it all he had. Jäger squinted, revving up a powerful swing, only to miss the ball completely. Bandit watched as the ball whistled and hit the wall behind them. “Strike three,” Bandit yawned, waving Jäger away. “You’re out.”

The pilot groaned and dropped the plastic bat and walking back to the sidelines. “You gotta admit, I pack quite the wallop!” Mozzie grinned, rubbing his bicep. Bandit chuckled, nodding in agreement.

“ _Ja_ , you do.” Bandit waved the next batter up, then went back to what he was doing. Cav stretched and then tapped the bottoms of her shoes with the bat before taking her stance. She narrowed her eyes, locking onto Mozzie.

“I really, really, hope she still isn’t mad.” Mozzie mumbled, catching the ball as Blitz tossed it back. The space was silent, only the wind offering a soft whistle as those gathered around watched. Mozzie gulped, winding up for a pitch. It hadn’t matter how soft he threw it, because once it left his hand, Cav’s eyes glinted. It was a swift and powerful motion, so swift that Mozzie had a delayed reaction to getting hit on the forehead with the ball.

He fell flat on his back, sprawled out like a starfish, and the world went dark. Bandit howled with laughter, holding his stomach as Jäger ran out on the field. “Holy shit! Did you see that?!” Cav nonchalantly walked around the diamond as Jäger fell at Mozzie’s side to check if he was still alive.

“Someone get Doc! He’s out cold!”

Sledge and Thatcher laughed as they walked out onto the field to pick up the fallen Australian, then safely set him down inside the base on a couch. “That’s what happens when you piss Cav off.” Thatcher said, wiping a tear from his eye. “Shite…no seriously, someone get a medic. He could have concussion.”

Jäger pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed Doc’s office number, hoping he was there. “ _Yes, this is Doc. Marius, what happened now?_ ” Doc asked, his voice taking a parental tone. The only real reason Jäger had his office number (a “private” line) was because something always seemed to happen. Explosion in the workshop, illness, what have you.

“ _It’s Mozzie. We were playing whiffle ball and Cav smacked him in the face with the ball. He dropped pretty hard._ ”

Doc stopped his writing and looked at his watch. It was 2:30pm. “Is he conscious? Any signs of brain activity?”

“ _Rook is trying to get him to come to, he’s saying stuff—just please come down here._ ” Doc sighed and stood up, fetching his toolbox and a stim shot.

“Keep him awake, I’m on my way.” Doc said and hung up, opening the door and jogging around the building to get to the lounge. A small group of people had already gathered, trying to offer some form of aid. Mozzie was out of it, but he was awake, nonetheless. “I’m here.” Doc called, walking over to Jäger.

“He’s alive, but a little loopy.” Jäger said, leading Doc over to his patient.

“Wuh happun?” Mozzie asked, the entire room spinning a bit and the side of his forehead hurting up a storm. Doc knelt by him, placing his already gloved hand on Mozzie’s arm.

“Mozzie? It’s me, Doc.” Doc spoke slowly and clearly, and pulled out his pen, turning on the little flashlight to check Mozzie’s eyes. “Can you follow the light for me?” He asked. Mozzie did his best, enough to satisfy Doc. Mozzie’s pupils dilated, and he was able to process Doc’s requests. No major brain damage, just a whole lot of pain.

“Doooc…” Mozzie groaned, holding the side of his head that hurt. “’m sorry…we said we’d get coffee today…” He leaned forward, but Doc gently caught him and sat Mozzie up again. “Now I have a giiiant welt on my face…”

Doc frowned a little bit. He had been looking forward to this, and seeing the Aussie upset over it made it worse. “Mozzie? Mozzie it’s okay, you’re going to have to come with me anyway. You need rest, and I need to watch you.” He said, standing up. “Julian,” Doc asked, but Rook knew right away.

“No problem, Gustave. Just lead the way.” Rook easily helped Mozzie to his feet and then helped him walk (or rather dragged him) all the way to the infirmary. Doc sighed, following Rook down the hall.

“Right there is fine.” Doc said, helping Rook set Mozzie on one of the cots. Doc flipped open his little medic box and pulled out a stim shot. He took Mozzie’s arm and quickly injected it. “There, he should be fine once he sleeps off the medicine.”

Rook frowned and crossed his arms. “Cav really let him have it.”

“That’s Taina for you. I’ll talk to her later.” Doc walked over to Rook and handed him a twenty-dollar bill. “Do me another favor?” He asked, smiling apologetically. “Can you go into town and get me something? You can get yourself something too.”

With a playful sigh, Rook shook his head. “Oh Gustave, what would you do without me?” He smiled as Doc just chuckled and shook his head as well.

“ _Merci beaucoup_. I’ll watch over Mozzie.” Doc said, letting Rook go and then returning to whatever work he had left. He really hoped Mozzie wouldn’t be too upset about their little outing.

-

The entire right side of his head hurt like a bastard, and the light really hurt his eyes. Wait… Mozzie sat up a little too quickly, causing immediate vertigo. “Ugh why is the world spinnin’?” He asked, feeling a tad nauseous. Two firm hands steadied him, and the light coming from that smile was even more blinding.

“It’s fine, Mozzie. You’re in the infirmary. You, um, had an accident.” Doc said, sitting on the swivel stool by the bed. “Do you remember what happened?”

Mozzie grumbled, upset he was here in the infirmary, and even more upset that he had fallen through with his outing with Doc. “I…remember Cav, that’s for sure. After that, nothin’…” Mozzie winced as he looked over to Doc, who was still smiling at him. “Again, like some kind of angel, I tell ya…”

Doc shrugged, swiveling on the stool towards the table next to his desk. “Then I must be some kind of angel.” He grabbed two mugs of mug brownies with frosting, then wheeled back to Mozzie’s bedside. It was hot, recently made. It smelt so good. “We might have missed our…date,” Doc said and gently blew on the steaming chocolate brownie in the mug, “but I didn’t want to let the moment go.”

Mozzie felt like crying. Doc, this sweet man, went out of his way to make him feel better. “Aww, Doc…” Mozzie sniffled, nearly weeping into his mug. “Y-Ya…you’re such a nice guy…all I’ve done is cause ya trouble…” He sniffled again, stuffing some hot brownie into his mouth. It was really good.

Doc chuckled, placing a reassuring hand on Mozzie’s shoulder. “Mozzie, don’t worry about it. You’ve gone through a lot these last few hours, and it was just bad luck.”

“I didn’t know people called Cav that.”

They both laughed at that. Mozzie felt better, wiping some snot and tears with the back of his hand. The giant bruise on his forehead throbbed and felt like a bite, but the tender chocolate of the mug helped dull the pain—and the heavy-duty painkillers too. “Ya gotta let me take ya out properly, Doc. All ya’ve done is help me out.”

Doc pulled the spoon from his mouth and smacked his lips. “I don’t mind helping you out, Mozzie. You’re my friend after all.” That made Mozzie feel better. Doc thinking of him as a friend—someone he could trust and rely on. Of course, Mozzie felt like he hadn’t been giving the best support, but he would! And when he did, then he could really feel good about being Doc’s friend.

“Ya can…call me Max—if ya want.”

Doc’s smile got a tad bigger. “Alright, Max. You can call me Gustave, if you want as well.”

-

The chilling air of the abandoned office they found carried the sound of boxes and voices as they set up. “Sir?”

The White Mask leader turned around, facing his underling fully. “You brought what I asked for?” His voice was light, gentle even. The henchman nodded, producing a thick file. “Excellent.” He hummed, taking the file and setting it down on the rickety table. “My my…he definitely has an interesting record. Mostly humanitarian work, but it’s enough.”

“We’ve set up everything sir,” The henchman said, showing his leader the map. “Traps have been set up, and so have the explosives.” He produced a switch, handing it over. The White Mask leader eyed the device, wiggling his fingers before finally taking it.

“Send the message, and I’ll prepare as well.”

_Call me old fashioned, doctor, but I do enjoy myself a little damsel in distress…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay listen, I needed drama and excuse for mega fluff <3


	3. Blazing Tango

Doc laughed, shaking his head as Mozzie retold the story of his first sky dive. “My mum was as pale as a sheet when I told her! My pa really was cross, but they forgot about it a week later.” Mozzie held an ice pack on his giant welt, the color turning an awful purple. Doc scooted closer in his chair and had Mozzie pull the ice pack away.

“My goodness, Taina really hits hard, doesn’t she?” Doc sighed, gently feeling the bruise. Mozzie hissed loudly and Doc retracted his hand. “Oh, _pardone_ Max! The tenderness and swelling will persist for a while, unfortunately.”

The way Doc was attentive to Mozzie’s injury and how he took time to ask questions about him made Mozzie feel…good. It had been a while since someone asked him “how are you?” as stupid as it was. Tori was there, sure, but she was more reserved. Doc was affectionate, attentive, caring. _Goose you idiot—it’s his job. Don’t take it so seriously._

A hand touched his shoulder, shaking Mozzie out of his little world. “Max?” Doc asked again, his eyes now carrying worry. “Are you sure you’re alright?” _I don’t even know myself, Doc._

“Sorry, Doc! I’m being a little spacy. Must be the bump on my noggin’!” Mozzie joked, replacing the melting ice pack on his head. _Why is this so hard? Why am I being such a donk?_

“You’re worrying me, Max. I think you should sit out of any upcoming operations.” Doc said, standing up to get his doctor’s pad. “And I’ll go ahead and order an examination as well. I need to make sure you didn’t suffer any other injuries.”

“You sure got a carin’ heart, Gustave. It must be hard havin’ to see us walk in here with a little more than a bruised forehead.”

Doc took a moment to consider those words. Since joining Rainbow, he witnessed his comrades knocking on Death’s door countless times, putting pressure on Doc to save their lives each time. His own GIGN members had scared him more than once. Doc wrung his hands nervously. He knew his line of work meant flirting with Death, and it also meant the heartbreaking fallout of failing to do his job. “After everything that’s happened, I told myself that if I wanted to save lives, I had to take them as well.” Doc turned to look at Mozzie fully. “When we go out into the field, there is always the possibility some of us are not coming back. So, yes, the idea is very upsetting, but I do what I can to make sure we all come home.”

They looked at each other for a while, the silence suddenly a heavy anchor in the air. Mozzie could see the weight that Doc carried on his shoulders, the burden he chose to bear. Mozzie thought he was lucky. All the hair-brained schemes and the stupidly dangerous stunts he pulled when he was in the army, he could have died. He suddenly felt guilty: Doc would have to deal with the possibility that one day that his stupid luck would run out. Another heavy weight on those already saddled shoulders.

The clock on the wall ticked, the air still heavy with the subject. Suddenly Mozzie remembered a saying he had learned from a Tuscarora Native he saved once from a brush fire. _“They are not dead who live in the hearts they leave behind.”_ Mozzie wasn’t too much of a spiritual man, and something told him Doc wasn’t either. How do you comfort someone like that? “Sorry for being a wet blanket Doc.” He apologized, leaning back in the bed. “I shoulda thought before speakin’.”

“No, it’s alright.” Doc said, relaxing and stopping his nervous wringing. He wrote something down on the paper “Here, this will excuse you from any work you might have to do.” Doc handed Mozzie a little official piece of paper with doctor script that excused Mozzie from any operative missions until he was better.

Mozzie took the paper with his free hand and looked at Doc. The tiredness in the doctor’s eyes were more apparent, but his smile was still warm. “Maybe you could use a break too, Gus.” Mozzie said with a returning grin. “What would we do if our Doc got sick, huh?”

Doc chuckled. The light in his eyes returned, and Mozzie felt a small sense of relief. “You’re right, but there’s always another problem we need to tackle.”

“Well, maybe…” Mozzie said and felt his headache. He yawned and rubbed his eyes, but Doc gently pat his knee.

“Stay up for a while longer, alright? We need to make sure you don’t have a concussion.”

-

“Isu.” A taller male in a dark suit walked up the worn-out stairs of the office building the White Masks had taken up as base for this operation. “Is it done?”

The White Mask Leader strode out, his mask removed and exposing his handsome, young face. Eyes once light and a soft green, where now cold and sharp emerald blades. Isu frowned, flipping his long, braided hair over his shoulder. “The distress call has been sent, and the building has been set.”

The taller man nodded and looked down at his phone. “Bel wants this guy alive. He’s too valuable knowledge wise.” Isu crossed his arms and scowled.

“I know Mal. I was briefed on the topic.” Isu hissed and threw his hand up dismissively. “The operators are split. Our faction in the south has caused a storm so they sent a good number away. We lure our target here and trap whoever is still left alive.” Mal didn’t say anything, simply unraveling the rope he had brought.

“Fine. Do it your way. Just be prepared.”

-

Doc had sent Mozzie off to get a CAT scan at the local hospital—a precaution against a serious head injury. He wouldn’t put it past Cav to do some serious damage to someone. The moment of peace didn’t last, as someone burst through the door. “Doc! We got a Code Red!” It was Ash, who was suited up for a fight. “We’ve got a hostage extraction, asap!”

Doc frowned and he quickly set his clipboard down. “Let me suit up, and I’ll meet you by the gate.”

…

The flight over was quick. Ash briefed them while they made their way over. “A civilian was taken hostage by White Masks. They stole vital information, medical information.” She looked at Doc, who loaded up his stim shot into his gun and holstered it. “We believe it’s information on a long dead strain of a virus. They might be posing biological warfare.”

Doc frowned, slipping on his face mask and then placing his helmet on his head. “If that’s the cause, they’re aiming to use that hostage as leverage to escape. We have to save them.” He strapped on his medic badge, closing his eyes to reflect. A part of his mind brought him to Mozzie, wondering if his scan was clean and if he was resting comfortably now. _You’ll be there to check up on him. Breathe._

A few of the Rainbow’s recruits were already there, positioned and waiting for Ash to lead them into battle. “A group of us will engage from the south side then you, and Jackal make for the west side. We have eyes on the hostage after some drones went in.”

“I’ll give us a path.” Jackal said, loading up his mag into his gun and then turning on his Eyenox. “Ready to go when you are, Gustave.”

Doc sighed, gathering his resolve—ironing his nerves. “Lead the way, Ryad.” The two men looked at each other and then nodded. The plan went into motion, and Doc felt his instincts sharpened. Despite his line of work, Doc never got used to the feeling of nervousness and lingering fear. His heart was _thump-thump-thump_ -ing against his bullproof vest, his breathing was picking up as he quickly jogged behind Jackal towards the second floor window. Gun fights were breaking out to his right, where Ash and the rest of his team were engaging the enemy.

“Gustave!” Jackal called to him, noticing his comrades still on the ground while Jackal had rappelled halfway up the wall. “Don’t daydream on me, _compadré_.”

Doc shook the worry from his head and continued onward. “It won’t happen again. Let’s go.” Jackal nodded, and on the count of three, they both broke through the barricaded windows. Glass littered the ground and the two men landed on their feet. Three gunmen made their way towards them, but Doc was quick. He took cover behind a brick wall and leaned, firing and catching one in the chest—his blood splattering across the dirty wall to his right. Jackal picked up the straggler, and they were off again.

“Help!”

The sound of a voice in distress caught Doc’s ears. “Over here!” He called, motioning to Jackal. “Hostage has been found!” Doc hissed into his earpiece.

“ _Copy that! Follow through with the extraction!_ ” Ash responded, followed up more rounds of gunfire. Doc slowed down as they made their approach. There were voices behind the barred door, one angry and menacing while another wept.

“I know you’re out there…” The deeper voice called. Jackal looked down at the ground, two sets of tracks were there. “Why don’t you join us?” Doc’s eyes widened as the _tink tink_ of a frag grenade sounded too close, giving neither man enough time to react. The grenade went off, throwing both Jackal and Doc into opposite directions. Doc hit a drywall, groaning. His heavily armored body took a tough blow, but he was alive.

“Ryad!” Jackal laid in a heap by an overturned crate, unconscious. Doc pushed himself up, but a looming man in a dark suit kept him down with a firm foot on the back, and a gun aimed at his head.

“Nah nah nah, you stay right there, Doc.” Mal said, looking over as Isu checked on Jackal. “What the hell are you doing?”

Isu checked Jackal’s pulse and stood up. “He’s alive.” He said, glancing at Doc, then at Mal. Mal frowned, shaking his head and then pressing down on Doc, who groaned.

“Whatever. Bag the guy, yeah? We need to move now.” Isu was swift, running over and tying Doc’s hands behind his back, then disarming him. His hand stopped at the stim shot gun, pulling it out of the holster and looking over it.

“This is it.” Isu stood up and turned the container over to look at it. There was a small amount of liquid in it, stated by Bel to be an effective drug in keeping wounded soldiers up. Of course, the nature of said drug was not known. “Dr. Kateb,” Isu said and looked down at the struggling man. “under any other circumstances, I’d say it’s an honor to mee you.” Isu knelt and picked Doc up, pushing him forward.

Doc stumbled, but Mal held him up. “Isu, you know what to do.” Mal said as he dragged Doc along. Isu nodded and waited for Mal to be within a certain distance before pulling out the detonator he was given. Isu turned back to look at the unconscious Jackal. _He’ll be fine._ Not a second after, Isu pressed the button.

Ash lowered her gun, confused as to why the remaining gunmen were fleeing. “Doc? Jackal?” She called into her earpiece, but nothing. “Doc?? Jackal??” An explosion rattled the ground, followed by another, and another. Soon, the entire building was caught up in flames. “Gustave, Ryad!” Ash called, turning to the recruits behind her. “Three of you come with me!”

Three recruits did as she was told, following Ash into the blaze. “Gustave! Ryad!” She shouted, moving between flaming pillars and fallen gunmen. Upstairs was an inferno, and Ash coughed as the smoke started to accumulate. “Fuck!”

“Over here!” One of the recruits waved, finding Jackal at the bottom of the stairs. He was out cold.

“Get up, let’s go!” Ash ran over to help pick Jackal up, and then passed him off to another waiting recruit. “Where’s Doc? Gustave! Gustave!” She screamed. Upstairs was a no go, and downstairs was cleared. The roof was starting to fall apart, dropping tons of heavy debris onto the frantic search party. “Shit! _Fuck_!”

“Ma’am! We have to get out now—” One of the recruits called. There was no way they could make it up there. _Gustave…_

Against the raging screaming in her chest, Ash backed out of the building. Just as the last recruit exited, the entire thing came down. The local fire department was already there, along with ambulances. Jackal was being tended do, giving oxygen and receiving stitches for the gash on his forehead. Ash covered her mouth with her forearm, coughing. She walked up to the Fire Chief, desperation in her voice. “One of our own is still in there! We couldn’t—we couldn’t find him.”

“We got guys looking, and we’re trying to put this fire out as fast as we can.” He said, but there was already an apologetic look in the Fire Chief’s eyes. Ash gripped the back of her neck with both hands, walking in a circle. She started blaming herself. She should have sent more people with them; they should have waited for more fellow operators to return. All these heavy weights were suddenly dropped onto her subconscious, her shoulders sagging. If there was a shred of possibility Doc was okay, she had to hold onto it with all her might.

“Eliza…?” Ash turned, seeing Jackal regaining consciousness. He coughed and groaned, moving on the stretcher the EMTs had set him in.

“Hey, hey…” Ash walked over and kept Jackal down. “You’re a little crispy, but alive.” She said, trying to mask the worry in her voice. “Ryad, do you remember what happened?”

“Gustave and I…found hostage but…something happened. Grenade…” He groaned, leaning back in the stretcher. “Can’t remember from there…” Ash sworn under her breath, pacing again. “Is Gustave..?”

Ash shook her head. “We didn’t find him. The building caught fire so quickly and came down too fast… The firefighters said that building was old, the flames ate through it so quickly. I think this is what the White Masks wanted.” It didn’t dawn on Ash that perhaps this had been a trap—and if it had, what did the White Masks want?” The shred of hope suddenly got a bit bigger, and Ash held on tighter.

“ _Santa Maria, madré de Dios, danos el poder para buscar nuestro amigo, sano y bien…_ ” Ryad bowed his head, uttering a simple prayer in hopes that their comrade, their friend, was alive and well. Ash closed her eyes and lowered her head. It all fell upon what the firefighters found inside. Was she ready to the possibility of losing a comrade tonight? All she could do was wait, so she sat by Jackal, her body aching and her mind heavy.

It seemed like forever, but the Fire Chief came up to Ash, his expression grim. Ash prepared herself for the news. _This is it. The day had finally come_. “We looked through the debris and checked all the rooms, aside from a few masked fellows, we didn’t find anyone else.” The air in Ash’s lung escaped with a sharp gasp, leaving her speechless. _He wasn’t among the body count._

“He wasn’t among the body count?” Ash asked, feeling her grip on her hope get all that much stronger. _A building easily a death trap, numbers of explosives going off and gunmen retreating_. It suddenly hit her. “Fuck!” She hissed, taking her cap off her head and throwing it on the ground. “It was a fucking trap!” She groaned and covered her face. Her mind began racing again. _Why did they want to take Doc?_ “Ryad, we’re heading back to base. I need to let Mike know what happened, you focus on getting better, alright?” Ash walked back to the stretcher, nodding.

Jackal nodded and sighed. “Find him, Eliza.” He said before the EMTs packed him up. Ash called her recruits back, boarding their jet and returning to base. Once they landed, Ash was on the phone with Thatcher. “Mike, we have a problem.”

-

Mozzie had arrived back at base after his trip to the hospital, rather surprised he had been given a clean bill of health. “That coulda gone way worse.” Mozzie said, looking over at Gridlock. She laughed, shaking her head.

“Aye, mate. I’m surprised she didn’t pop your head like a grape.”

The air in the base was heavy when Mozzie entered the door. People were talking, and it was Jäger who ran up to him, his pale blue eyes filled with a fear that made Mozzie’s chest freeze. “Doc’s been taken hostage by White Masks!”

Mozzie’s stomach dropped, his entire body suddenly cold. The words were slow and slurred as Mozzie replayed them in his head. _Doc’s been taken hostage by White Masks_. With her friend unresponsive, Gridlock frowned, placing a hand on Mozzie’s shoulder and inquired the pilot further. “Whatdya mean taken? Did they nab ‘em from here?”

Jäger shook his head. “Ash, Doc, and Jackal were called into an emergency hostage extraction, but it turned out to be a trap. The building was set on fire by the White Masks—they put Ryad in the hospital…Eliza is saying it was a trap at least.”

Mozzie didn’t say a word, his gaze lost. _Gus, why? Why did it have to be you?_ The world snapped back quickly, hitting Mozzie like a rubber band to the face. “Well?? What do we got in terms of info?!” He asked, making both Gridlock and Jäger jump at his sudden shift in tone.

Jäger shook his head. “No message no nothing yet.” Mozzie left his two fellow operators in confusion as he stormed towards the meeting room. Thatcher, Thermite, and Ash were already there, speaking with Twitch and Monty. “The fuck do you want, Goose?” Thatcher asked, crossing his arms.

“Gus. He’s been taken. What do we got?” Mozzie said, clenching his fists. His shoulders were tense, something he hadn’t felt in a long while. Before any argument could begin, Ash butted in.

“All we know is that they targeted Doc specifically. If they wanted ransom, they would have sent us a message by now. We think they might have wanted something else.” Ash had set Doc’s file on the table, papers nearly lined in groups. Mozzie looked at the portrait on the dossier, Doc’s face looking back at him. “Doc has a very extensive medical background, sure—combat experience and all. Though, my hunch is this.” Ash slid over notes Doc wrote on his stim shots. “These stims of his are a unique compound only Doc knows how to make. They’ve saved us in life-death situations and work as a temporary patch job… give enough to a group of terrorists, and they become tanks.”

Mozzie growled, his hands now shaking. “Is that what they want? Then they gotta keep him alive…” Mozzie didn’t want to think of Doc meeting his end at the hands of those monsters. _They need him alive. Can’t make those shots without him._

“It buys us time.” Ash said, turning around to face the row of monitors. “We’ve got people out looking for him, searching any place these bastards choose to plant themselves.” Ash turned to look at Mozzie, seeing the conviction in her eyes. She wanted to find him too. They shared a nod, making Mozzie feel better. “If you want to join the search, you’re welcome to when you’re back on your feet.” Ash commented, looking back at the screens. “Doc left me a note. Don’t need you losing what’s left of your brain cells, Goose.”

Mozzie cracked a grin. “Ya got it, boss.”

-

Doc gasped as the wool bag was taken off his head. The blood on the cut above his brow had dried up, and a bruise was starting to form on the busted cheek bone from Mal’s hard left hook. He was sore, and his lungs still burnt a bit from the smoke he inhaled. The room they had shoved him in was dark, with little lighting. It had felt like hours since they tried to storm the old office building to rescue a hostage. _Well, it was a trap._

The shadows in the room shifted, and the overhead lamp was clicked on by Isu. Doc winced as the sudden bright light filled the room. To his left, there was a first aid kit—a basic one, with the hydrogen peroxide open. Isu looked at Doc, the slowly moved to begin treating his minor injuries. “I’d say _relax, I’m not gonna hurt you_ , but you wouldn’t believe me, would you?”

Doc narrowed his eyes and watched Isu’s hand touch each instrument. He was moving slowly so Doc could follow. “You’re right, I wouldn’t.” He answered, his voice rough. He coughed a bit, and Isu waited.

“Mal threw that frag, FYI.” Isu said and dabbed the prepped swab on Doc’s cheek. He hissed but allowed Isu to continue. “I wanted to lure you two into the roam with my helpless cries, then take you down from there, but Mal can be an extremist.” Isu offered a smile, but Doc was keeping his reservations. “At least your friend was alive.”

Doc frowned as he thought about Ryad. He hoped they had gotten him out alright. Mozzie came to mind as well. _I wonder how he’s handling this_. Not well, Doc assumed. They had spoken hours before, eating brownies in mugs and Doc learned why Mozzie, Max, did what he did. It felt like they had connected on some level, reached a middle ground where they could freely speak to each other about anything. Mozzie was wild, yes, but he was a kind man underneath all that showmanship— Doc hissed out loud as Isu pressed on his cut with the swab.

“Did you hear anything that I just said?” Isu asked, annoyed that he had to repeat himself.

“You try taking a punch from a brute.” Doc spat, furrowing his brows and clearing his throat. “You were saying?”

Isu frowned and continued. “You’re a smart man, Dr. Kateb. Those little do-hickies in your syringes have saved lives, no? Our boss thinks that it could benefit us too.” Isu quickly dabbed the cut above his eyebrow and hummed. “You already know you’d be useless to us dead, which is why you’re getting special treatment.”

_This does not feel like “special treatment.”_ Doc thought, but he nodded slightly. “Oh, no, I know how this works. Your boss wants my stim shots to keep his soldiers moving; I’m the only one who knows how to make them. The situation explains itself.”

“Then you know your position.” Isu said as he set down his tools. “As long as you’re useful to him, then you keep your life.”

“It won’t be long then,” Doc said, feeling his restraints. _Rope, hm? And here I am without a sharp tool._ “Once I give him what he wants, he won’t need me anymore.” Isu glanced away, and Doc knew exactly what would happen. “So do excuse me if I try and protest.” He said calmly. Isu frowned and stood up, shutting the first aid case.

“Don’t be coy, Dr. Kateb. You’re risk losing your life here. Surely, you wouldn’t want to break hearts like that.” Isu smirked, tilting his head and crossing his arms. “A certain Australian would be devastated if he wasn’t there to help you.” Doc frowned hard and struggled, only feeling pain in his wrists. “That’s what I thought.” Isu booped Doc’s nose and turned around. “Our boss will be down here in three days. Enjoy your time, alright?” He said before leaving the room.

Doc looked around. He couldn’t see his surroundings, nor the area outside. He could see the peaks of some desert mountains, so it was safe to assume he was on the second floor of a building. The walls were made of wood, but reinforced.

His gadgets were on a table across the room, including his radio. A thought came to him suddenly. His radio had an emergency GPS. If he could hit it, then surely Ash could track him down. _Right? How far do these things even go?_ Doc figured it was worth a shot. His arms were bound behind his back, with no form of escape. He eyed the table next to him, seeing the first aid kit Isu left behind. A few instruments were left out, including a pair of small scissors. They looked sharp, but could they cut the ropes?

Doc inched closer to the table and groaned as he was unable to bring them closer. _If only…_ Doc blinked, then attempted one final measure: he sat up as straight as he could, then leaned forward, bringing his nose as close to the tabletop as possible. He was able to reach the scissors and used his nose to pull them along by the handle. He stopped them by the edge and got up. The chair was light and gave Doc enough room to turn around and grab them with his hands. He sat back down and started to work at the ropes.

_I hope Ash isn’t taking this too hard. She always blames herself for when things go wrong like this; Ryad…I do hope he made it out after the building caught on fire; Max… I’m sorry. I wasn’t careful this time around_. The last part bit at Doc’s chest. Always the calm and collected one, but this time Doc failed to account for this deception. He wanted to save this hostage, bring them home, but only managed to become a hostage himself. He felt stupid, and it could cost him his life.

As he sawed away at the ropes with the scissors’ blades, he heard voices from the heater duck. Isu and Mal were talking. Doc listened intently. “What the hell has gotten into you?” Mal hissed venomously, slamming his hand down on a desk. “What was that BS? Checking to make sure that R6 scum was alive? Since when were you the caring type, huh?”

Isu rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. “Why are you suddenly so fucking worried about _my_ habits huh? And how do you know my habits?”

“Someone’s gotta.” Mal growled, narrowing his eyes at the younger male across the room from him. “You came to us out of nowhere, a doe-look in your eyes…Bel ate that shit up.” Mal pushed himself away from his desk chair and stood up. “He gets a kick out of making recruits break. Seeing the light drain from their eyes.” Isu didn’t look towards Mal, just let him go on about whatever it is he was saying. “I’ve learned all the small things about you.”

Isu dared to look over and saw Mal had made several strides to be right at his side. He tried to move, but Mal caught Isu’s arm, holding him there. Mal then did something unlike him, taking Isu’s hand and just holding it. Isu was caught off guard by this but didn’t dare make a move. He merely watched Mal as he continued to speak.

“You got some hope left in you, don’t you Isu?” Mal asked, letting go of Isu’s hand and letting drop into his lap. “Maybe Bel did that on purpose…but I think you’re due for some proper training.”

Isu said nothing still and let Mal walk out the door. His heart was racing inside his chest, the unnatural tenderness in Mal’s eyes as he spoke about Isu and his small amount of hope. Suddenly Isu’s blood ran cold, and he followed behind. “Mal! Stop!”

Doc looked over as the door to his room was thrown open and Mal stepped inside, a gun in his right hand. Mal lifted the gun and aimed for Doc’s head. Doc’s eyes widened and he braced himself for the worst. Isu came down the hall and into the room right on time, grabbing Mal’s hand and forcing him to shoot the wall behind Doc’s head. The _zip_ of the bullet passing his face made Doc pale as a ghost, suddenly feeling unwell. “Are you out of your fucking mind!” Isu shouted, shoving Mal back.

Mal growled but stopped himself from going further. He pointed in Isu’s face, his dark eyes wild. “You best learn to let go of that hope little boy. It’ll save your life one day.” Mal stomped out of the room, leaving both men bewildered and confused.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally got around to writing this damn chapter lol. Hopefully I can keep up <3


	4. The Cav-alry is Here

The entirety of the night was filled with empty coffee cups, mumbled voices, and the harsh glare of blue light screens. Mozzie couldn’t sit still. He paced the room as they reviewed leads, bounced his leg impatiently as Ash shared the latest info that the FBI had sent her; his thoughts were equally restless, jumping from thought to thought, scenario to scenario. However, he managed to hang on one single thing: Doc.

On the edge of exhaustion, Mozzie recalled his time with Doc in his office, holding an ice pack to his head and Doc smiling, listening to Mozzie and his stupid stories. Someone listened to him willingly, gave him attention without having to fight for it in an extreme way. He didn’t know if it was the part of himself that craved for that sort of attention, or if there was something lingering underneath the surface… There wasn’t time for him to reflect—all that mattered was finding Doc.

The early crack of dawn remained hidden behind closed doors. Twitch came in eventually, bringing in some breakfast for those working tirelessly to find something. “Don’t worry Emmie, we’ll find him.” Mozzie told her, placing his hand on her shoulder and giving it a squeeze. Twitch nodded, sighing and covering Mozzie’s hand with her own.

“I have faith.” She said and nodded, looking at Mozzie. Her eyes were tired, heavy with sleeplessness. The redness around them told Mozzie she had been crying, but she was standing strong. “Once we find him, I’m giving Gustave his speech about safety.” They both chuckled softly to find comfort in all this. One would think they’d be used to something like this, or have some sort of mental preparation for the day one of their own would fall, or go MIA, but the reality of the human mind and heart as that it was never ready to lose a loved one.

“Yeah, Eliza and the gang have been working nonstop. So far, we ain’t got too much to go on.” Mozzie rubbed his eyes, the heaviness finally catching up with him. He tapped his free hand on his thigh to keep himself moving. _Can’t fall asleep now._ “We got wind of a bunch of White Masks doing some shady business, and we sent a few people out to look. Maybe someone knows something.” Twitch nodded, bidding everyone good luck before leaving. Mozzie grabbed a cup of coffee and a hashbrown, munching away before getting back to work.

-

Doc groaned, slowly opening his eyes to the cold morning and the unfamiliar air. _Hm, that’s right…_ He had been untied by Isu and given a little cot to sleep on for his first night as a hostage. The door was heavily locked down and the moments of the day before had come back to him like the trickle of a breaking dam. Mal was not happy with the way Isu was treating Doc, and Doc himself was also skeptical. _Heartless murderers never take time to check their hostage’s level of comfort._

Doc sat up and stretched, his body still aching from his launch into a dry wall from that frag and the stress from being manhandled. His face still hurt from where Mal had punched him, and the residue from the treatment Isu applied had dried. Doc a second to look at the room he was locked in. It was a simple space with reinforced walls and little things to make his stay somewhat bearable. The windows were blocked, but Doc could hear the chirp of birds of the early dawn behind the boards. He could picture the dusty pink and soft orange of the sky, the sun just barely picking her head up from her pillow. He was usually up by then, starting work or having lost track of time the night before. His mind came to his teammates, wondering how they were. _Searching no doubt.._.

He chuckled tiredly, shaking his head. He had faith in his team. They had overcome much deadlier situations than this. Doc’s thought fogged his consciousness as he stripped out of his heavy armor, letting his body breath. He slinked off his suit, leaving himself in a white t shirt and some shorts. It wasn’t ideal, but then again, this whole situation wasn’t. Evil people wanted to use his medicine to maintain their armies, prolong the violence—probably sell it for a fortune! It was always the same, however. During his time with the relief group, Doc saw many things. What stuck to him the most, was the massacre of the relief hospital. All those people he worked to save, killed by militia. _Sometimes to save a life, you must take another._

Doc’s train of thought dropped him off at his teammates, and then Mozzie. The tournament seemed like ages ago, where they agreed to play pretend and put on a show for the masses. _Watch the world’s most skilled operators compete...for something._ Mozzie had gotten hit and risked being eliminated. Thinking back now, Doc could safely assume his instincts kicked in during that moment, and he had to help his teammate, save him from potentially losing his life. Yes, it had been nothing but a game, but Doc had lost so many people he cared about, people he had taken care of... It was something his mind and heart could not take, even if it was not a real-life situation. Mozzie, dear Max, who had gone out of his way to show Doc gratitude for what he had done. A part of Doc’s heart ached now that he thought about it. _How is he?_

The door opened suddenly and Mal came strolling in. His suit was pristine as ever, and the evil look in his eyes made Doc chill over. He loomed in the room, a cloud of miasma that could strangle with just a glare. Mal tilting his head, sizing Doc up before his razor-sharp words left those pursed lips. “We need you.” He said. Mal noticed Doc’s lack of proper clothes, so he reached around and threw him something to wear. “Hurry.”

Doc frowned, catching what was thrown at him (a pair of sweatpants) and putting them on. He slipped his feet into his combat boots and was behind Mal as they went down the hall. Mal took his time walking, while Doc sense urgency from the frantic voices coming from down the hall. Doc watched each hallway and noted every window and entrance but couldn’t memorize anything: the growing wails and groaning followed by the heavy scent of blood distracted him. Mal didn’t seem to care that he was surveying the area, and just lead him further and further down the building. Mal walked in long strides, which Doc had to keep up with. There was silence between them, and Doc preferred it that way. After Mal tried to shoot him last night, he had little to say to him.

Mal came to a stop in front of a door and opened it, his eyes never leaving Doc. The familiar smells of a medical clinic rushed Doc’s senses, and he suddenly felt comfort. The scene before him though, washed it away completely. A White Mask had been wounded terribly; a devastating knife wound on his throat. He was gurgling, producing bubbles of blood that rose to the surface of the wound, followed by wet coughs. His eyes full of fear as another White Mask was pressing on the wound as much as he was allowed, frantic. “Come on, come on! Don’t die on me now Anthony—”

Doc didn’t need Mal to tell him what to do: he was already pulling on the blue rubber gloves and having one of the White Masks bring him the small table of tools. “Allow me,” Doc said, having the weeping White Mask stand aside as he pulled away the completely seeped towel. The blade had severed an artery—this man’s fate was sealed. Doc frowned, asking for a tool. “We need to hurry!” He urged. The White Mask at his elbow did the best he could, handing Doc everything he asked for. “It’s going to be alright.” Doc cooed, trying to stitch this man back together. He dabbed away the blood, but the man kept coughing, his wheezing signifying that he was running out of time. “No, no, no!” Doc hissed, watching the man pale and his breathing shallow. Doc found himself in those relief hospitals again, helping victims of violence, lambs who had lost their shepherds only to be led to wolves for feasting.

Mal stood in the background, arms crossed and watching the scene unfold. Of course, he knew this grunt was going to die—there was no way that the good doctor could save his life on his own. However, Mal wanted to see how he would react and the lengths he would go through to try and save this man’s life. Even with the help he was getting, eventually the man’s breaths stopped altogether. The comrade, who had held the bloody towel on his friend’s wound, lowered his head to weep. He muttered, while everyone else in the room was silent. Doc’s heart sank. There was nothing he could have done, but he still felt like he had failed. He stood up from the chiar, pulling the blanket over the deceased man, and watched the other White Masks shift in their places by the bed. There was no time to take in what had just happened, as Isu came in with more injured White Masks.

Isu helped a fellow soldier inside, providing support so he could limp his way into the medical bay. “Mal?” Isu looked over, frowning as Doc stood over the body. Mal didn’t turn, he merely leaned against the wall, eyes hard on Doc.

“We got more for you.” Mal turned around and left the chaos behind.

Doc left the bedside and made his way over to Isu, helping take the wounded man and set him on the bed. “All gunshot victims need to be over here, those that are more critically wounded here.” Doc looked around and found a cabinet full of chemicals and supplies he could potentially use. He rushed to the cabinet and opened it quickly. Doc picked up each bottle by the neck and read their label, muttering to himself in French as his thoughts raced, his training kicking in. He picked the ones that could be used as a substitute and set them down on the table. “Can you help me?” Doc looked over at Isu, who nodded and was at Doc’s side in an instant.

“What do you want me to do?” Isu asked, watching Doc’s blood covered gloves grab amber bottles and dumped them into beakers, using the Bunsen burner and mixing with a spoon.

“Bring me empty syringes, it doesn’t matter what kind—once the liquid sets and turns blue, fill them up.” Doc worked quick while he spoke, shooting Isu come glances in between. Isu nodded and did as he was told. He knew Mal kept tons of empty syringes in the warehouse—for the products they occasionally brought in. Isu zoomed down the stairs and stopped at the crates closest to the wall. He rummaged and found a few that he hoped would help. His blood was still cold from the painted killer that had attacked their safehouse. So many dead and injured. _It had to be them._ Isu shook his head and shut the lid of the crate and made his way back upstairs to Doc, who already had a beaker ready. Isu opened a few packages, dropping the plastic on the floor and filling them up as Doc asked, lining them up on a silver tray.

“Go, take these and inject the injured.” Doc urged. Isu wasted no time. He was at bedsides, tapping on arms and finding veins to inject his subordinates with this miracle drug their boss was willing to kill to get his hands on. Isu suddenly felt pity for Doc. He truly was a man of the people and of the greater good, risking it all to make this medicine that promised his safety and life to save a group of terrorists. Maybe his position with Mal could have been a motivator—a gun to the head. _No, this doesn’t look like a man fearing for his life…_

Doc picked up the final tray and he too made his way around to help those on the other side of the room. He coaxed and bandaged up those who were bore less severe wounds but paid close attention to those who were critical. It took a while, but everyone had been taken care of. Those with friends and partners had people by their bedsides, others had the nursing staff that had finally arrived. Doc sighed, pulling off his gloves and throwing them away. He approached the sink and scrubbed the entirety of his arms before approaching Isu. “With the stims, their bodies should be able to heal on their own. Do keep an eye on them.” He stared at Isu, who awkwardly shifted his feet.

“Alright, thank you Dr. Kateb.” Isu said, waiting for Doc to do something else, but he didn’t. Doc merely motioned to the doorway and rose a brow.

“Are you not going to take me back to my room?”

Isu’s widened and he smacked his forehead. _Right, right._ “Right, before Mal comes back.” He led Doc down the hall, and this time Doc took more time to examine the hallways. They were boarded up, with only three windows in total facing east. On the same side was a staircase, two levels and leading west. Doc’s room was past the staircase closest to the third window. _I’ll remember this._ Isu opened the door and Doc walked in, going back to the cot and sitting down. “I’ll come get you if the others need anything.” Isu said before turning around and shutting the door, locking it behind him.

Doc sat down on the bed and leaned against the wall; his hands folded neatly across his stomach while he was lost in thought. That White Mask’s neck wound was distinctive—one that Doc has seen countless times before. He merely closed his eyes, resting and anticipating what came next.

-

“The raid we sent out has come back with news.” Ash said and looked around the table. Jackal sit next to Mozzie, who was bouncing his leg up and down impatiently. “ _Paciencia, enano._ I’m sure its good news.” Jackal had gotten out of the hospital rather quickly, but he insisted he was fine. Mozzie was skeptical about his claims, but they couldn’t afford the luxury of a fight right now. He shook his head at Jackal’s comment and crossed his arms, looking towards the cork board full of the information they had so far. _Last White Mask sighting was in Detroit, and Eliza thinks they might be heading back to their base soon. This fucking raid is our last chance to get something._ It was true, the underground information they gathered told the White Masks were prepping to go back into hiding. _They got what they wanted._

“Goose.” Thatcher shouted, slamming his hand on the table, making Mozzie jump in his seat. “Where you fookin’ listenin’ to me lad?” He asked, his voice stern and exhausted. Mozzie knew he wasn’t in the mood to be putting up with anyone’s bullshit, so Mozzie shook his head meekly.

“No sir…” He muttered and shrunk in his head. Thatcher shook his head and waved at Ash.

Ash nodded and circled an area on a map. “Death Valley.” Ash said simply and straightened back up. “The raid was able to extract intel on the location of the White Masks’ temporary base. It’s in an abandoned ghost town somewhere in Death Valley.” Mozzie leaned forward, his jumping leg ceasing and his tired eyes now fully attentive.

“Well alright! We got a location, why not go now?” He asked, already standing up. Jackal put his hand on Mozzie’s arm and had him sit down.

“If you were paying attention, _enano_ , you would know that can’t be down right now.” He said calmly and looked back at Ash, nodding so she could continue.

“…the entire main road is posted with White Mask checkpoints. We won’t be able to mobilize a full extraction team without giving away our location or tipping off the Masks of what we’re planning.” Mozzie looked at the map and seeing nothing but one singular road that headed right into the town itself, with the rest of the area being nothing but desert. “We would have to pull away a great amount of White Masks from those posts to be able to slide in even one part of our extraction team.”

“So…what you’re saying is we need a distraction?” Mozzie asked, his arm tapping his thigh. “Well, I can think of a few ways we can do this—”

“Max. We can’t go forward with this right now.” Ash said firmly, slamming her hands on the table. She sighed, looking up after a brief pause. “I know you want to go in and save Doc, but we can’t jeopardize the operation by going in unprepared. We don’t need to lose more operators to save one.”

Mozzie stood up again, this time yanking his arm away from Jackal before he could be stopped. “No! You can’t sit on your hands like this! You said it yourself, Eliza, them bloody _cunts_ are leaving once they get their shit ready! This is the only moment we have! We need to take it!”

“ _Enough_!” Thatcher shouted, his powerful voice cutting any noise that dare happen. Mozzie and Ash were silent, but Mozzie shook his head. “Goose, we can’t go in dumb. We can’t risk it, end of discussion.”

_You might not be able to go in dumb…_ Mozzie thought, turning his back and leaving the room. _But I sure as hell can._ He suddenly realized what he needed to do, and it clicked. Mozzie ran down the corridor leading to the garage and poked his head inside. No one was around, not even Gridlock. _She must be down talking to Elena…_ Mozzie grinned and snatched the keys to his motorbike before rushing to the locker room. They were given these fancy lockers that housed their gear during the tournament and Harry had them moved onto base. Mozzie ran to his, quickly changing into it. He pulled his aviator sunglasses from the breast pocket of his vest and slowly put them on. He looked in the mirror, his resolve strengthening. _I’m coming for ya, Gustave. Hold on just a little longer._

He snuck into the armory and snatched his Commando 9 and his Super Shorty, along with some ammo before making his way down to the garage. He rubbed his gloved hands together and chuckled, approaching his bike. “Well ol’ girl, we ride again it seems.” He reached into his pocket and found that his keys where gone. “What the hell?!”

“Looking for these?” Cav asked, suddenly appearing near the door with Mozzie’s keys around her finger. Mozzie jumped and held his chest while letting out a sigh, the internal panic starting to rise quickly.

“I forgot you snuck around like that…” He said and rubbed the side of his helmet. Well shit, he was caught. _But would she rat me out to Ash?_ “Listen, Cav…” Mozzie said, doing his best to sound like he wasn’t panicking right now. “I know we got off on the wrong foot and all during the games, but I can’t let this opportunity slip by.”

Cav frowned, looking at the keys she held in her hands. The small Aussie had gotten on her nerves during the games, yes, but Cav was competitive. She had her fun when she domed Mozzie with that whiffle ball a few days ago, and Doc’s life was on the line. She sighed, throwing Mozzie his keys. “I will say nothing on one condition.” She loaded her pistol and then strapped it in her holster. “Take me with you. I owe Gustave that much.” She said simply and walked towards Mozzie’s motorbike. She assumed the driver’s seat and looked at Mozzie. “Well?” She asked.

Mozzie grinned underneath his helmet and tossed Cav the keys, jumping on behind her. He kept his hands to himself and held onto the sides. Cav easily started the bike and opened the garage door. Mozzie did all the talking as they zoomed towards the airfield. Jäger was nowhere in sight, which made Cav and Mozzie’s acquiring of a plane and pilot a whole lot easier. “Take us to Cali, mate!” Mozzie told the pilot as they loaded up. “Drop us as close as you can to these coordinates, alright?”

“You got it man.” The pilot said and started up. Mozzie walked his bike into the little cargo hold and took his seat, strapping in. Cav did as well, doing her face paint as they took off. She used her knife as a mirror, and it made Mozzie shiver. _She is one scary lady…_ As the pilot was taking off from their base’s airfield, Ash got the ping.

“What the hell?!” She shouted as she ran towards the control panel and put on the earpiece. “A4 what the hell are you doing?! You have no clearance!” There was a moment of shuffling and Mozzie’s voice came into the com.

“ _Sorry Eliza, I can’t sit by and wait for them to take Gustave. I’m taking this chance and you can’t stop me_.” The com cut off and Ash hissed.

“Goddamn it, Goose!” She pulled out her phone and dialed Thatcher. “Mike? You were right, he’s going off by himself! We have to make our move now—our hand has been forced.” She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Right, right… Yeah, I’ll pull together our extraction team and we ship out immediately.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haaa thanks for sticking around if you're still here! I managed to get this up and am now working on ch 5! Thanks for being so patient!


	5. Mission Maxi Mozzie

Doc woke up again in the cold unfamiliar air, gripping the figments of the dream he had last night. He couldn’t recall all the details, but he smelt the lavender flowers of a garden, and he was drinking lemon tea. Perhaps an old childhood memory, or a wish lingering deep within his heart. Regardless, he couldn’t remember much more than the feeling of comfort. He rolled over and heard people outside his room. There were trucks and machines going off outside the boarded-up windows, and warmth from the sun was beating down on the boards. He wondered if Mal would have something else for him to do today, or perhaps he would remain here until this boss of theirs arrived. Doc had one more day before this Bel man showed up. _Wherever you all are, I hope you’re on your way._

The locks on his door were opened (3 clicks, Doc noticed), and the door was pulled back, as Isu made his way inside. He had breakfast and left it there for Doc to take as his own leisure. “Um,” Isu rubbed the back of his neck and looked away before meeting Doc’s gaze. “I…wanted to thank you for the work that you did.” He said finally. Doc blinked and looked down at his hands.

“I did what I was told to do. I don’t know why it would be warranted a thank you.” Doc chuckled, folding and unfolding his hands in his lap. “You strike me as odd, young man.” Doc looked up at Isu and really looked at him. Isu seemed young, and his eyes were dim, the innocence of said youth no longer there. “You don’t act like any villain I’ve ever met. Something tells me you’re here against your better judgement.” Isu flinched and rubbed his arm. The silence hung over them for a while before Isu spoke again.

“Well, it was a long time ago. Me and two of my siblings were kidnapped by White Masks more than ten years ago. Our father was a Greek diplomate, and they demanded a ransom and wanted something else in exchange for the safety of his children. The EKAM operation went wrong, with two of the operators sent to save us died during a gun fight. Not only did they die, but my brother was shot and killed by an EKAM operative and my sister suffered a fatal wound prior and died after the White Masks decided to run. They took me with them, seeing as the whole ordeal cost them more than they received. That’s when I met Bel.”

Isu took up a seat in the chair where Doc had been tied up the first night he had been brought here, crossing his arms. “Bel was the leader of the current faction I work for now. He had no kids of his own, so he took me in, taught me things that would help me survive, and expected me to be one of his White Masks.” Isu shrugged as he continued. “He takes orphans and criminals in to turn them into manpower for his missions. We lose hundreds of soldiers to counter terrorist groups, and other battles we may be fighting. Bel’s problem is that we weren’t staying alive long enough for his liking.”

“How did he hear about me?” Doc asked. “The notes are highly classified and under record with Team Rainbow.”

“He’s got people in places, you know?” Isu said and grinned a bit. “I was the one who found out about you, actually. I read about you when your relief group was overseas. I happened upon an article talking about your good deeds, and with thousands of top-secret databases at my fingertips, I got curious.”

 _So, a stroke of bad luck?_ Doc wondered. All of this was caused by a serious of events that happened to come into existence. One curious young man with a past shattered by the very thing Doc and the rest of Team Rainbow worked to halt. _Your bleeding heart will be the death of you_. The words Lion had told him that night after the tournament, the confrontation about saving Mozzie, came back to him. _You can’t save everyone; not even the young man before you._

“Bel found out about the stims on his own, that I can vouch for.” Isu continued. “The rest took off from there, planning the fake hostage rescue and taking you. Mal said to do anything and everything to get you, even if it meant killing some of your fellow operators and some of our men. The idea didn’t sit well with me.” His shoulders stiffened at the mention of Mal, which made Doc curious as to the nature of the man in question.

“Whatever happened, I’m here now.” Doc said and leaned back in his seat. “Whether or not I’m being looked for is up in the air.”

“Oh no, they’re looking for you.” Isu said with a matter-of-fact nod. “Does the name _Caveira_ mean anything to you?” Doc snorted, softly rubbing the bridge of his nose. Isu frowned and furrowed his brows at Doc’s reaction. “Do you?”

Doc sighed through his nose, a light smile on his face. _I knew that stab wound looked familiar_. “Yes, I know who that is.” He leaned forward, arms resting on his knees. “And you should all be worried about where they’re coming from next. I’ve seen their handiwork up close before. It won’t be pretty.” Cav probably wanted to leave that White Mask alive as a warning to the rest. She never let one of her interrogations walk away… _Cav…at least you care._

Isu didn’t take to this news too well. “Well…” He stood up and walked towards the door. He lingered for a second before leaving the room and locking the door behind him—three little clicks. Doc felt a sense of relief wash over him. He knew his faith was well placed, and all he could hope for was for this to go well for all of them.

-

Mozzie eagerly looked out the window as they landed. He ran down to the cargo and brought out his bike. “Alright, I did some research on the way here. If we take the back roads through the desert, we could be poppin’ out here.” Mozzie pointed to the town in question. “I don’t know where—” Cav snatched the pen out of Mozzie’s hand and circled a cluster of buildings and starred one building.

“There. We have 3 hours before their guard shift changes, when that happens, we have 15 minutes to get inside.” Cav said, giving Mozzie his pen back.

“So you were the one who got all that info during the raid.” Mozzie said, tossing Cav the keys to the bike and got on the back seat again. Cav got in front and revved up the engine with a feline-like grin. “I shoulda known, no one can scare information outta folk like you.”

“I’m insulted you doubted my abilities.” Cav said and leaned forward. “Hold on!” She said, taking off like a speed demon. Mozzie had no time to fully comprehend, holding onto Cav’s waist for dear life. He laughed, the thrill of excitement and adrenaline running through his veins like a wild brush fire. He freed up one hand and pulled out his Commando, ready to shoot anyone who came their way. Cav grinned and sped up, racing across the abandoned wasteland to rescues their teammate.

They easily bypassed the checkpoints set up towards the town by riding through the desert. They were far enough to be undetected but could make out their path underneath the sand and lizards. “Here!” Cav shouted and held up her Lusion, pressing it closer to Mozzie as his hesitation became more apparent. “Take it, idiot!”

“You’re letting me use this?!” Mozzie shouted in disbelief. He put his Commando away and took Cav’s pistol, being extra careful not to drop or even scuff the weapon.

“It’s not like I can shoot it myself while I drive this thing. You keep eyes out and use it if we get spotted.” She said firmly, keeping her eyes on the road. Mozzie gulped and nodded. He looked over his shoulder and to their left and right. So far, nothing.

“Can I ask ya something, Cav?” Mozzie asked, keeping a vigilant stakeout as they drove on by. “You knew I was gonna come out here, weren’t you?”

Cav grinned, barely noticeable underneath her skull makeup. “Eliza knew you’d do something stupid and told me to keep an eye on you. I knew you would go and save Gustave, regardless of what they told you. I figured kill two birds with one stone…You can go and be a hero, and I get to kill some terrorists in the process.”

“Oh…” Mozzie drawled, nodding. It did make sense, and she was right. Even if Ash had given him green light, Mozzie would go out of his way to save Doc no matter what. _It’s my turn to be there for ya, Gus._

Once the buildings came into view, Cav slowed down and found a good place to stop. The sun had gone down quite a bit while they made the ride over, giving them fresh cover under the twilight sky. “The main building that I showed you is over there.” Cav pointed over, a giant house with boarded up windows lay above on a hill. “That is where they have him.”

Mozzie checked his watch and nodded. “Right on time.” The guards posted outside the house looked around and then proceeded to leave. _Fifteen minutes. We got that much time to get inside and find Gus. From there…God knows what._ “We gotta go!”

Cav gave one final glance before nodding, giving Mozzie clearence to go forward. They both ducked behind crates, weaved in between parked vehicles, and once the coast was clear, made a beeline for the house. They ran up the hill and dove for shrubs when they heard footsteps. Cav stilled Mozzie by slapped her hand on his chest. He groaned quietly and waited, looking over to see what had stopped them from going.

A tall man wearing a dark colored suit was smoking a cigarette just outside the house. He was leaning over the railing of the porch, looking up at the night sky. His eyes were heavy, and Mozzie felt a chill run up his spine as he stared at him. The feeling in his gut told Mozzie he wasn’t a good guy at all. _He looks like a mass murderer…_ The door to the house opened, and a smaller, much younger male stepped out. His hair was done in a braid, and his eyes tired. “Can we talk?” He asked.

“About?” Mal asked, a low grumble coming from his throat. He didn’t turn around to face the younger man but kept looking up at the sky, as if something magnificent was about to arrive.

“You know about what. Dr. Kateb.” Isu said softly

The hair on the back of Mozzie’s neck stood up, the chills that were running up and down his spine spilt to the rest of his body. _Gus._ He leaned forward, wanting to know what exactly this had to do with Doc.

“I had to stop three Masks from carrying out some…unfavorable actions against our hostage.” Isu’s voice sounded harsher, angry even. “Bel said to keep him unharmed—” Mal stood up fully, a quick motion that caught Isu off guard. He walked back and bumped into an old chair that had been set there.

“Does it look like I give a fuck what Bel says? I’ve been doing this gig for longer than he has, and honestly, I think he’s not cut out for what we really do.” Mal approached Isu, who backed further into the chair, knocking it over and then being pressed up against the wall.

“He’s been taking in charity cases—no-lives and orphans to do his dirty work. He thinks by doing that he’s giving people the second chances they need.” Mal shook his head, the cigarette hanging from his lips, a thin veil of smoke covering his eyes. “Like when he brought you. Couldn’t even negotiate a hostage situation—no, my plan would have worked. Instead of gaining political favor from Greece, we got a damn lacky.” Mal quickly grabbed Isu by the throat and slammed him against the wall. “You never had the heart for this. That’s why you never let me get near that doctor, never let me give him a taste of what he needed in order to talk.”

Isu gasped, holding onto Mal’s wrist with both hands to try and pry himself away, but it was no use. “Mal—let go!”

Mal only pressed tighter, watching Isu’s face turn red. “And when you made sure that Rainbow op was still alive, for the doc’s sake? I would’ve pulled my pistol out and shot him between the eyes. Weakened his resolve.” Isu gasped for air, really struggling to keep Mal’s grip from crushing his windpipe.

Mozzie frowned, he had to do something. He couldn’t stand here and watch someone get killed right in front of him. He suddenly remembered the Lusion he was carrying and pulled it out quickly. Cav noticed and moved to stop Mozzie, breaking a branch that had been underneath her foot. Mal heard the noise and moved, but Mozzie had already pulled the trigger. The bullet zipped silently and lodged itself into Isu’s side. He shouted and Mal let him go, dropping him to the floor. “What the hell?!”

Mozzie cursed under his breath and Cav forced him to move. “What the _fuck_ did you just do?!” She hissed at him. Mozzie fell over after failing to crouch walk, resorting to crawling on his hands and knees through the shrubs to get away from the scene. Mal walked off the porch and looked around wildly. Rainbow was here, looking to save their precious doctor.

“That’s it.” Mal said, marching past his injured comrade and back into the house. One of the White Masks who had been nearby raced to Isu’s side and quickly helped him up.

“Sound the alarm! We’re being attacked!”

The loud blares and the flashing of spotlights caused Doc to sit up from his bed and try to peek through the boards. _Attacked? Could that mean…?_ There was a loud thumping coming up the stairs, and before Doc could even process what was happening, Mal kicked open his door. Three locks, broken like the plastic ties of a candy wrapper. Doc backed up, ready for a fight, but Mal was stronger and faster, punching Doc in the jaw with a solid right hook. “We should have gotten that stupid information out of you a long, long time ago. I should’ve cut every single finger off your fucking hand until you told us how to make that stupid medicine. But no… Isu just had to keep you safe.”

Doc fell onto his knees, holding his jaw. Mal rushed him, pulling Doc up by the fabric of his shirt. “This ends here. I don’t give a fuck about that stupid medicine.” Doc had little time to process Mal’s words, taking more hard fists to the face, and chest. His vision blurred and fuzzied, until he went dark.

-

Mozzie fell onto the ground, panting. He looked up as Cav loomed over him. “You idiot!” She hissed, shaking Mozzie so hard his sunglasses fell out of his pocket. “You could have given us away!”

“That cunt was gonna kill that guy! I-I had to do something…I didn’t wanna shoot ‘em though…” Mozzie stood up and dusted himself off. “ _Fuck!_ ”

Cav looked over her shoulder as White Masks scrambled around to try and find them. There was a low beep coming from Cav’s pocket, which she promptly took care of. It was the Tracker each operator carried in case they were MIA. _Ash is probably on her way._ “The rest of the team is on their way. We need to find Gustave and hold out until back up arrives.” Mozzie looked up the window as two shadows appeared against the dirty glass. One was the man who had nearly killed that White Mask, but Mozzie couldn’t make out the second person.

“We need to get in there.” Mozzie said, a strong tension in his shoulder and an anxiety developing in his stomach. Cav shushed Mozzie as there was a loud _thud_ of a door hitting a wall, and they oved in closer to see what it was. Mal had quickly made his way down the stairs, carrying a bloodied and conscious Doc over his shoulder. Mozzie’s eyes widened, and a terror overtook his mind. _No no no! He can’t—he can’t be!_

Cav was already on the move. She silently snuck behind old tractors and boxes, keeping her eyes locked on her moving target. The small glances she could spare, she checked Doc. He was bleeding from cuts on his face, and he looked badly beaten. She couldn’t tell if he was alive or not, but regardless, this had to end now. Mal stopped and shrugged Doc off his shoulder, dropping him on the ground. Cav hid carefully, watching him from the shadows.

“It’s too late for me to do what I wanted, what with your friends coming and all…” Mal said, picking up a shovel he had set on the ground earlier today. “I was gonna bury Isu here, a little thank you for all the trouble he’s given me, but…I don’t think I can.” Mal started digging as he was lost in his monologue. “I don’t think I can…” He echoed, digging with more vigor.

Cav pulled out her knife and moved in, sneakily approaching Mal. He had no time to react, Cav immediately pounced him, sweeping Mal off his feet with a kick jab to the back of his knee. Mal growled, trying to fend off his attacker but she was too quick, placing him in a headlock easily. “Time’s up, _desgraçado_!” Mal growled, struggling against Cav’s leg as she applied more pressure. Mozzie took that time to race over to Doc, skidding to a stop next to him and shaking him.

“Doc?! Doc?! Gustave?!” Mozzie’s voice cracked, his eyes searching for a sign of life. It took a bit, but Doc groaned, rolling over and his eyes finding Mozzie’s in the faint light of the moon. Doc cracked a small grin, shaking his head.

“…some kind of angel…”

Mozzie’s eyes watered, the fear dispelling from his heart. He shook his head and let out a shaky chuckle. “You cheeky bastard…” The sounds of the struggle escalated, and Mozzie looked over his shoulder. Mal managed to throw Cav off him, sending her rolling. Cav lost grip of her knife, skidding somewhere in the dark. “Cav!”

Mal charged Mozzie, who was by Doc one second, then being hoisted in the air by Mal the next. “I should have killed all of you!” Mozzie wiggled and kicked his feet, unable to feel the ground beneath him. “I’ll start with you!” The rage in Mal’s eyes was so strong, Mozzie swore they turned red.

“Fuck off, ya blisterin’ son of a bitch!” Mozzie shouted, winding up his leg and deliver a swift kick to Mal’s chest. Mal wheezed, dropping Mozzie and hunching over to hold his sternum. Mozzie fell on the ground, scrambling up and feeling for his pistol. He managed to pull it from the holster, but Mal had recovered quick. He slammed Mozzie into a pile of hay, watching him struggle to get up again.

“You’re really pathetic little man.” Mozzie burst from the hay and charged at Mal, shouting obscenities as he did, only to be punched and dunked onto the ground again. Mozzie’s head bounced off the ground, leaving him still. Doc sat up, gritting his teeth. _Mozzie!_ Mal walked up to the fallen Mozzie and picked up the pistol he dropped earlier from the ground. Mal made eye contact with Doc as he released the safety and loaded it. Doc held that gaze, even though it terrified him, to keep Mal from seeing Cav run up and jump onto his back.

Cav punched Mal hard on the head, gripping onto him tightly. Cav’s earpiece went off as she held Mal in another headlock. “ _Caveria! This is Ash, do you have visual on the hostage?!_ ” Cav looked up and saw a helicopter overhead, along with the sound of recruits rushing in, boots firmly on the ground.

“Ash, this is Caveria! I’ve got sights on the hostage! Prepare for extraction!” Mal finally broke through Cav’s hold and threw her again. Mal looked up at the harsh spotlights and shouted, a loud and animalistic sound that could still an army. However, Mal wasn’t dealing with just any army. Mozzie groaned as he recovered, feeling something nearby as his hands felt the dirt beneath him. He grabbed it knowingly.

“This can’t be how it ends!” Mal shouted, stumbling a bit. “This can’t…”

“It’s over, mate.” Mozzie said as he stood up slowly, his limbs as heavy as a stack of bricks. “You lost. Game over.” Mal turned around sharply to face Mozzie, his features contorted with rage. He sped over to Mozzie, but the Australian was quick, using Cav’s knife to stab Mal square in the chest. Mal’s eyes widened, and he looked down at the knife nearly in his chest. He cracked a grin, chuckling even, as he looked Mozzie in the eye. Mozzie wordlessly yanked the knife out, blood seeping onto the ground and over Mozzie’s arms. Mal took one step back and fell, staring at the stars. He exhaled and stayed put.

The helicopter above lowered just enough for Ash and Thatcher to get out, running over to Doc. “Gustave?! You alright lad?” Thatcher asked. Doc nodded and closed his eyes. “Get ‘em to the chopper.” Thatcher waved for a recruit, who came zooming over. Ash jogged over to Mozzie, wanting to give him a piece of her mind, but withheld it.

“You okay, Max?” She asked and placed her hand on his shoulder. Mozzie merely nodded and looked down at his arms.

“Ain’t mine, no worries.” Mozzie’s head shot up. “What about Doc? Is he okay?!” He shouted, looking over and seeing a recruit take him to the awaiting helicopter.

“He’s a little beat up, but alive. Come on, we’ll take care of the clean up.” She said, rubbing Mozzie’s shoulder and leading him back to the awaiting helicopter. Cav had recovered and looked over at Mozzie.

“Good work.” She said, giving Mozzie a nod. Mozzie nodded back at her and gave her back her knife.

“Sorry if I didn’t clean it off.” He said softly, with a small chuckle. Cav merely shook her head and wiped it on her pant leg. She judged the cleanliness before getting in. Mozzie did as well, immediately finding Doc. He crawled over to where Doc was and sighed. “Gustave!” Mozzie felt a sudden relief that words couldn’t express. He could do anything—make any miracle happen—now that Doc was here. “Thank God—”

Doc looked over and still smiled. “I had faith, Max. Please.” Doc opened an arm, and Mozzie didn’t need any words to know what he needed to do. He hugged Doc, tightly and closed his eyes. It was over. Doc sighed, closing his eyes as he felt Mozzie’s body warmth against him. Doc was happy too. The uncertainty of things was finally clear. _It’s fine now. He’s okay; you’re okay. It’s over now._

-

Two Days Later…

Doc rubbed his bruised cheek as he looked over all the paperwork he had to catch up on the last few days. He figured he should be lucky. _I’m starting to think I didn’t get out so easily…_ Doc thought, chuckling to himself. After Team Rainbow’s daring rescue, the faction of White Mask responsible for the whole ordeal was taken down. The boss, Bel, had showed up as planned to the hideout, expecting Doc but finding anti-terrorist groups waiting for his arrest. Mal was confirmed dead, while Isu was injured, but was awaiting a trial for his part in Bel’s plans. Doc put in as many good words for him as he could. He had been just another victim in this group’s plans after all.

“Gus, you alright?” Doc looked up as Mozzie walked in, a backward baseball cap on his dirty blonde hair. He walked over and set down a cup of coffee for Doc, leaning into peck Doc’s cheek. Doc smiled, sighing contently.

“Yes, I’m just figuring out if I’ll have all this done by dinner.” He said, remembering he and Mozzie had reservations for quiet dinner in town tonight. Mozzie took a seat on the other side of Doc’s desk and looked at all the heavy texted paper. He pushed his sunglasses down, giving Doc a good look at his eyes.

“Maybe I can help? Aaah…” Mozzie squinted at a length paragraph that went into detail about…carrots? “On second thought, nevermind.” He set the document down and took a sip of his coffee.

“It’s fine, Max. I can always finish this later.” Doc said, taking his coffee and drinking. Mozzie smiled and leaned back in the chair, dangerously tipping on a leg.

“Well, if you say so! I don’t wanna take too much of your time, doc.” Mozzie grinned, scratching the side of his head. Mozzie stretched his arms behind his head, leaning back too far, displacing his weight on the chair and falling back. His arms flailed as he fell but Doc was quick to catch him. Mozzie was prepared for an impact but opened his eyes at the lack of impact. He saw Doc’s face above him, a playful smile on his face.

“Some kind of angel…” Mozzie said, smiling so big his cheeks hurt. Doc chuckled, lowering his face down to give Mozzie a tender kiss on the lips. They pulled away; their foreheads pressed against each other. They stayed like that for a bit, then Doc pulled Mozzie back up again.

“Come on, let’s go get ready. I’m getting hungry.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aw snap! The end! I tried to make this one longer to finish it up! I'm glad some of yall stayed to read while I struggled to write this! Means so much! I hope ye enjoyed <3

**Author's Note:**

> I recently got into playing R6 thanks to a friend of mine, but I still suck at it! I love the lore and already have fallen in love with all the operators! I love Mozzie and Doc so much, they're my fav defenders! I hope to continue this if time allows! :) Thank you for reading, or if you clicked here by mistake, thanks for stopping by!


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